


How Can I Keep Myself Away

by ailaikclarke



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Choni endgame, Choni soulmate au, F/F, choni
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-16 15:09:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14813738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ailaikclarke/pseuds/ailaikclarke
Summary: Choni soulmate au: in which you're born with a hair strand that matches your soulmate's hair colour.OR“I have literally never seen it. Nobody has.” Betty sighed. “That’s why people think you don’t have a soulmate.”“But I do.” Cheryl whispered. “You’re lucky, with your stupid black strand, Veronica looks a bit weird with that red strand, but she’s good at hiding it when her hair is down.”“What colour is it?”





	1. Pink

“I can’t even see it.”

“But it’s there and it ruins my perfect hair.”

“I have literally never seen it. Nobody has.” Betty sighed. “That’s why people think you don’t have a soulmate.”

“But I do.” Cheryl whispered. “You’re lucky, with your stupid black strand, Veronica looks a bit weird with that red strand, but she’s good at hiding it when her hair is down.”

“What colour is it?”

“Well, you know. I have red hair, I reckon any colour would look weird.”

“What colour is it, Cheryl?”

Cheryl took a deep breath. “Pink.”

Betty almost chocked on her milkshake. “Pink?”

Cheryl nodded, moving her hair slightly to one side, showing a bright pink strand of hair.

“So that’s why you always keep your hair parted on the other side.” Betty commented.

Cheryl nodded again. “Yes.”

“Wow, Cheryl. I really thought you didn’t have a soulmate.”

Cheryl sighed, looking down. “I wish I didn’t. It’s most definitely some dumb cow.”

“Why?”

“Because… Pink hair, Betty. Pink hair.” Cheryl commented.

Betty shrugged. “Maybe they did it for a dare and then enjoyed it and kept it.”

“Or maybe they’re some sort of weird creep with pink hair.” Cheryl sighed. “Of course it had to happen to me. Of course my soulmate couldn’t be normal.”

“Stop being dramatic, you’ll be fine.”

“You’re right.” Cheryl commented. “Your strand is black, but you still got a hobo.”

Betty rolled her eyes. “Right. I’m off to see my hobo, I’ll talk to you later.”

Cheryl nodded at her and grabbed her phone. She couldn’t believe she had told Betty about her soulmate.

That stupid pink strand of hair.

It had haunted her since she was a child. Her mother believed it meant she was going to end up with a woman, and couldn’t let that happen. She forced Cheryl to hide it at all costs, to the point Cheryl convinced herself it was shameful.

Hiding it while never talking about it got her the title of heartless bitch in school.

Because, of course, not having a soulmate made a person heartless.

She was so used to hiding it that she had somehow convinced herself that she didn’t have it. She never really thought about it, and had only talked about it with Jason.

After his death, she had completely stopped thinking about it, to the point of forgetting that she had it.

So, of course, when that afternoon she went to the drag race that Jughead had prepared against the Ghoulies, the idea of meeting her soulmate never even crossed her mind.

 _“Not today, Cha Cha. I was born for this moment.”_ She confidently said to that hideous serpent girl before the race began.

The race was fun, even though it ended with the cops coming and having to run away to avoid getting arrested. Not that they would ever dare to even touch a Blossom.

Later that night, when Betty drove to Thistlehouse to see her, Cheryl felt annoyed. “What?”

“You’re oblivious.”

“I am what now?” Cheryl snapped.

Betty sighed, shaking her head. “You have seen Toni today, right?”

“Who?”

“Toni, the serpent girl. Jughead’s friend.”

Cheryl nodded. “Ah, the girl at the race. Yes, I have.”

“Are you sure?” Betty asked.

Cheryl looked confused. “Am I sure? She wanted to steal my moment.”

“But did you look at her?”

“Are you asking me if I looked at that southside serpent scum?” Cheryl asked.

Betty pursued her lips. “Cheryl.”

What was Betty talking about? “Okay, okay… No, I didn’t. I didn’t pay too much attention. Why?”

“Because she had pink hair, Cheryl.” Betty said. “And a red strand of hair.”

Cheryl shook her head. “Nope.”

“Cheryl.”

“No, Betty. Just no.”

“Why not?”

“A Southside Serpent? Betty? Are you insane?”

“Maybe talk to her?”

“No, not now, not ever.” Cheryl replied. “And don’t you dare talk to anyone about this.”

“Cheryl, she saw you. She knows you have red hair.”

“She probably also knows who I am, she knows the legend that I have no soulmate.” Cheryl replied. “Plus, I’m sure I was rude enough for her to hope not to be my soulmate.”

“But she is.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You know, the pink hair with a red strand kind of gave it away.” Betty commented.

 **Jughead Jones [7.12]** A friend of mine asked about you  
**Jughead Jones [7.12]** Are you coming to Pop’s with Betty later?

“Fantastic. That’s fantastic.” Cheryl scoffed, showing Betty her phone.

“I told you she knows.”

“I don’t care.”

 **Cheryl               [7.14]** No, I’m not.   
**Jughead Jones   [7.15]** Are you sure?  
**Cheryl               [7.16]** Positive.

“Can you please come? And, like, introduce yourself? And maybe even be nice to her?”

“I don’t think you understand how bad this is.” Cheryl said, her voice firm. “My soulmate cannot be… That.”

“Why? Because she’s a Serpent?”

Cheryl nodded. “Yes.”

“ _My_ soulmate is a Serpent, and I’m not complaining.”

“Because you’re you. So… Naïve.” Cheryl commented.

“Or maybe it’s because I don’t judge someone solely based on where they’re from.” Betty snapped, before walking away.


	2. Whiskey

Cheryl looked at herself in the mirror.

She had her hair up, and was looking at the pastel pink strand of hair on the back on her head.

She hated it.

Now even more, considering she knew it belonged to a serpent girl.

She had spent years looking for someone with pink hair and with a strand of red hair that matched what she had on her own head.

She had never seen anyone with those characteristics.

She knew that the serpent girl, Toni, was her soulmate.

She couldn’t accept it, but she knew it was the truth.

“Why are you telling me this if you don’t want anyone to know?”

“Because I need to talk to someone about it and you seem to be the most sane among our schoolmates.”

“Or is it because you hope I’ll tell you that you can just pretend you haven’t seen her?”

Cheryl sighed. “Both.”

“I won’t tell you that.” Kevin commented. “I think it would be really stupid if you pretended. She’s your soulmate for a reason.”

“Yes, she’s my soulmate so that I can get screwed over again and again. As if my parents weren’t terrible enough.”

“A soulmate is a good thing, Cheryl.”

“Not a serpent soulmate.” Cheryl whispered. “I can’t even bring myself to saying that word.”

“I think you should meet her.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You asked my advice and I told you what I think.” Kevin said. “It’s up to you to decide.”

“I need a drink.”

“I can help with that.”

 **Kevin Keller   [7.40** ] alright, we’re going drinking, we’re coming to the party later  
**Kevin Keller   [7.41** ] drunk cheryl will meet toni  
**Betty Cooper** **[7.45]** good job, I’ll see you there

Kevin had severely underestimated the need Cheryl felt for drinking that night. He had to stop her before her fifth whiskey with the excuse of better alcohol at the party.

She begrudgingly followed him to his truck and almost fell asleep on the way to Betty’s house. He had to shake her awake once they reached their destination and he offered her his arm as they walked to the entrance.

Cheryl’s high heels had proven to be a nightmare in the highly intoxicated state she was in, but she was adamant on keeping them on. He took her to the garden, where she was offered a cup of coffee.

She sat down while sipping her coffee, insisting on being fine.

When the serpents arrived, Cheryl didn’t even notice their presence, because she was too busy admiring her own shoes.

When she did notice them, she furrowed her brows and went looking for Kevin.

“You didn’t mention they’d be here.”

“Who?”

“Don’t play games with me, Keller. The serpents are here.”

“Ah, I didn’t know they’d come.” He lied.

“I know you did. But it’s fine, I’ll have to meet her eventually.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Of course I’m mad.” Cheryl sighed. “I always am.”

She turned around to walk away, but was stopped by a smiling Betty. Cheryl noticed soon enough that she had the pink haired serpent girl standing next to her.

“Cheryl.”

“Elizabeth.”

“Toni!” The pink haired girl said, offering her hand to shake.

Cheryl looked at her for a moment. “I don’t shake hands.”

The girl nodded. “Can we like, go outside and talk for a moment?”

Cheryl was tempted to say no and walk away. “Alright.”

She followed the shorter girl to the garden, stealing a whiskey bottle on the way and smiling quietly to herself. They sat down in comfortable silence for a while.

“Did you steal that?”

Cheryl nodded. “I’m drunk already, but I need this.”

“Why?”

“Because this is going to be awful.”

“Why?”

Cheryl scoffed. “You asking all these questions is already a sign.”

Toni looked at her in silence.

“Okay, listen.” Cheryl sighed. “Meeting someone who’s supposed to be your soulmate is weird, okay? The universe chose you to be my person and I’m supposed to accept it?”

“You don’t have to accept it.” Toni said. “You might not like me and I might not like you and then it’s over.”

“Then why do soulmates exist?”

“I don’t know.” Toni whispered. “All I know is that nobody is forcing you to be with me.”

“I can tell that you don’t know me.” Cheryl smiled weakly. “Nobody can force me to do anything.”

“Oh, I know, Cheryl _Bombshell_.”

“Are you stalking me?”

“No, I am not.” Toni shrugged. “Everybody knows who you are.”

“Ah, yes.” Cheryl sighed. “The psycho bitch with the murdered twin and the hideous mother.”

Toni nodded. “Yes, that’s what most people say. I’ve also heard that you’re headstrong and don’t take anyone’s bullshit. That you’re obsessed with red clothes and that your nails could easily cut somebody’s throat. Oh, and that you speak your mind and, finally, that you’re really brave.”

Cheryl looked at her for a moment. “You’re not bad.”

“What?” Toni gasped.

“At lying. You’re not bad at lying.”

“I am not lying.” Toni commented. “I told you, most people think that you’re a bitch, but you do have some good qualities.”

“I don’t know anything about you except that you have pink hair.”

Toni smiled while she took the whiskey bottle from Cheryl’s hand. “You know that I am a serpent and I know that it bothers you quite a bit.”

“It bothers me _a_ _lot_.” Cheryl commented before taking the bottle back and taking a sip.

“Why, though?”

“Because you’re all criminals, drug dealers, the scum of the city.”

“Then why are you sitting here with me?”

“Honestly?” Cheryl asked. “I don’t know.”

“I think, deep down, you know we’re not all criminals.”

Cheryl shrugged. “Maybe I’m open to the idea.”

Toni smirked at her. “We’ll work on that.”

“Why pink, though?”

Toni laughed. “I assume it’s pink because my hair was pink when we first met.”

Cheryl nodded. “Did you know I was going to be a girl?”

“No, not really. Did you?”

“I guess.” Cheryl whispered. “I used to be afraid it was a girl.”

“Why?”

“I’m too drunk for this.” Cheryl took a deep breath. “My mother, she… She wasn’t keen on me liking girls. She said I was deviant.”

 


	3. Milkshake

“So, how was it?”

Cheryl shook her head. “It was horrible, terrifying and it made me sick.”

“Cheryl, I think you’re talking about the whiskey you drank.” Betty commented.

“Yes, what were you talking about?” She asked. “Oh, right. It wasn’t that bad.”

Betty grinned at her. “So it means it was amazing, or you would have told me it sucked.”

“Well, sweet cousin, we did drink the whole bottle of whiskey even though we both were considerably drunk before your party.” Cheryl commented. “If you think that a night ending with the both of us behind a bush vomiting our guts out is the definition of amazing then, be my guest.”

“Bonding time!” Betty smiled again.

“I’m not drinking ever again.”

“Are you seeing her again, though?”

Cheryl was silent for a moment. “I think so, yes.”

“Oh my God! Yes! I have to call Kevin!”

“I am not even going to ask why. I plan on meeting her when I’m not drunk, this time.”

“That makes a lot of sense. You’re not mean when you’re drunk though.”

“That is not true.”

“You’re right, you’re always mean.”

 **BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI** **[4.12]** r u alive   
**BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI [4.12]** and yes I was the one putting ym number on ur phone but u gave it to me I swear   
**Cheryl Bombshell                   [4.14]** Are you joking? You can’t even write properly.  
**BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI [4.15]** of course ur one of those people who use grammar   
**Cheryl Bombshell                   [4.23]** I do, indeed. You write like a child.  
**BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI [4.24]** im going to pretend I didndt see that  
**BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI [4.25]** u up for dinner tonight   
**Cheryl Bombshell                   [4.59]** I don’t know why, but I feel like I am not allowed to say no.   
**BEAUTIFUL AMAZING TONI [5.01]** ur right, so like pops at 7  
**Cheryl Bombshell                   [5.02]** It’s a date.

“What are you wearing?”

“Were you looking at my phone?”

“… No.”

“Betty.”

“I was.” Betty whispered. “Still, what are you wearing?”

“I don’t know yet, but you know you don’t have to worry about me dressing like a hobo.”

“I am not worried, I’m curious.”

Cheryl sighed. “I’ll send you a picture once I’m done getting ready.

Betty smiled. “I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll talk to you later, have fun!”

“Bye, Betty.”

She wasn’t nervous.

Not at all.

She was experiencing a weird feeling in her stomach, something telling her that it might actually work. She wasn’t enthusiastic about it, but she thought she was actually starting to believe that it might work.

Maybe she could be happy.

Maybe she deserved a soulmate.

Maybe it was her turn to be carefree.

She took a quick shower and took her time to apply her make up right after blow-drying her hair. Signature red lipstick and bold false lashes to seal the look.

She decided on a simple black and red dress with a pair of black heels, but changed a few times before she felt like she was wearing the right thing.

She drove herself to Pop’s, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t too early, that she was simply being polite.

She smiled when she saw Toni on her motorcycle, fifteen minutes late to their date, with her dishevelled pink hair and messy clothes.

She looked perfect.

“You’re late.” She said, the moment the other girl was close enough.

“I know you don’t mind.”

“Of course I mind.” Cheryl scoffed. “I’ve been waiting for half an hour.”

“Get used to it.” Toni whispered, before resuming the walk towards the entrance.

They sat down and each ordered a milkshake and a burger.

Strawberry for Cheryl and chocolate for Toni. They each laughed and the other’s choice, but felt weirdly amazed at how different and, yet, similar they felt.

They talked for hours, feeling glad that Pop’s was open 24/7.

“So you had a brother.”

Cheryl nodded. “Jason.”

She grimaced at the idea of having to talk about his disappearance and following murder, and braced herself for the thousands of questions she expected on that subject.

“This might be a weird question, but what is it like to have a twin?” Toni asked, much to Cheryl’s surprise. “Like, is it true that you can read each other’s mind?”

Cheryl looked at her for a moment before bursting into a laughter that was so heartfelt it almost made her cry. “No, we can’t. We couldn’t, at least. Maybe it happens in adulthood.”

“No, I think it’s supposed to happen in childhood.” Toni commented. “What about other weird twin things?”

“Like what?” Cheryl asked, sipping her milkshake.

“Like I suppose you couldn’t trade places.”

Cheryl smiled. “No, that would have been weird.”

Toni hesitated. “What about feeling each other’s pain?”

Cheryl swallowed hard. “I reckon that was a bit true. Seeing Jason in pain made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. I think it has nothing to do with us being twins, though.”

“What about when he was happy?”

“Seeing him happy made me feel stronger. Almost as if his happiness was my own and allowed me to be fearless.” Cheryl explained. “It was hard, growing up I mean. Our parents were monsters and I knew Jason was the golden boy, he was perfect. I always felt like an accessory that came with him. He never made me feel like I was worthless. He made me realize that I matter.”

“That’s lovely.” Toni commented, trying hard to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. “I hope his death didn’t make you feel worthless all over again.”

Cheryl looked at her. “No, it didn’t. I think he gave me enough strength to feel like I am someone, even though he’s not here with me anymore.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Toni commented. “And I’m sorry about what your parents did to you, the idea of someone mistreating you makes me feel sick and I don’t even know why.”

“I know the feeling.” Cheryl admitted.

“The night we met, before you proceeded to throw up on my shoes, you told me something and I’ve been thinking about it all day long.” Toni said.

“What did I tell you?” Cheryl asked. “I talked a lot yesterday.”

“You told me about your mother when she caught you with a girl.”

Cheryl felt like the blood had been drained from her face. “Oh.”

“I wanted to reply, but… You know, you got sick.”

“You don’t need to say anything.”

“I want to.” Toni commented. “You're not loveless. You’re not deviant, okay? You’re sensational.”

On instinct, Cheryl grabbed her hand. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but didn’t care about hiding them or wiping them away. “I’m happy that you're my soulmate.”


End file.
